Friday, October 17, 2008

MARADONA: "I may be last in the polls, but I'm first in every Argentine heart"

During a phone interview in a television football talk show, Diego MARADONA made perfectly clear that he would love to become the national team manager.

What's most important, he made some statements about his personal life and the present he is enjoying and he sounded like someone who is in peace with himself and has achieved a certain level of maturity.

Regardless of what happens next, I'm absolutely happy to hear MARADONA in such a clear state of mind and with so much passion and desire.

I doubt he can become a great manager but I'm sure he can join any technical staff and contribute from a different angle. Motivate the players, raise their spirits, take some of the pressure out of their shoulders.

I love this new version of Diego.

Here are some of the things he said during that interview.

On his present:

"I've got everything in order in my life right now. My girls are fine, my parents are fine. I'm living a great moment."

"If this opportunity comes along, it'll be the most perfect birthday present of my life."

On his will to commit to a role with the national team:

"I'm willing to dedicate my whole life to work as our national team manager. I'm willing to get to work everyday at 8 AM and stay until late if necessary."

"Sergio BATISTA and his assistant Jorge BROWN have more experience than me and I wouldn't mind teaming-up with them and take a secondary role."

"I'm willing to take a back seat and join whoever takes charge of the Albiceleste. The important thing is that we need to recover our winning mentality, our desire, our style. I want to help us achieve that."

"My expectations surpass the risks that can come with the job. I'm not scared of the critics. If some people are not happy with my decisions and they start to hate me...I wouldn't mind. I can live with that. My expectations and my desire to work as Argentina manager are greater than those possible problems."

On BASILE's resignation:

"I was surprised by BASILE's resignation. I don't know which were the reasons behind his decision, but I think we've got a lot of potential to get out of this difficult situation we are in."

On MESSI comments about Argentina needing a change:

"I think MESSI is growing up. He doesn't speak a lot, but when he speaks he does it with composure. I think if MESSI said something is because he feels it. I think it's a valuable thing from him to speak up his mind."

On the team for the future:

"We need to form a team without thinking of depending too much on RIQUELME or MESSI. MESSI has more freedom at Barcelona because if he has a bad game, he can have a revenge the following Sunday. That doesn't happen when he plays for Argentina and that adds up to the pressures some people put on him. We should go easy on him. He's only 20-years old."

On other candidates for the job:

"RUSSO is a model professional and I wouldn't have a problem if he is appointed as national team manager. He is a great guy and I know him for a number of years now. He is a man of great quality. I think BATISTA and BROWN should have the priority. It's about time we, the champions of 86, finally get our chance."

"I may be last in the polls (of fans voting for their preferred manager to take over), but I'm the first in every Argentine heart".

7 comments:

John said...

I love you Diego more than anything else. We, the fans, will and always regard you as the greatest of all time.

But what bothers me is that will his big personality overshadows the coach in the dressing room. This is risk that we are bound to take.

If there was one thing that Diego was spot on, is that we must stop giving the picture that our team is all about Roman and Lionel. It’s more than that. I wish the new coach does not give the impression that the both of them are indispensable.

If RUSSO has plenty of versatility in coaching style, now I feel he is the best man for the job. Seba, when would the AFA announce the new coach?

Mundo is the best resources that I feel there is for everyone in Malaysia. The local newspaper is filled with nothing but praise for Fabio CAPELLO’s England win against Belarus!

christer2020 said...

amazing. I cannot be more glad to hear the words he is saying... the fact he doesn't mind being part of a winning team. it's not about ego. it's about his true love for his country, and the albiceleste football.
thanks Sebastian for the continuous update on the coach situation, I will share it with all my fellow Argentina loving fans.

Juan y Fer said...

Hello,
the situation is a bit complicated, but I think that Argentia only needs a coach with common sense, because there are excellent Argentinian players, so only a stupid can have bad results.
By the way, I open to join our blogs for the Davis Cup or whenever you want.
Thanks.
Regards,
http://saqueneutral.blogspot.com/
(a blog about sport in English and Español)

Anonymous said...

Ahhh our dear old Diego. The reason I am a follower of the men in white and blue. I was born in a village that was as rural as it could get with no transportation, electricity, or anything of the modern civilisation and it was as far as it could be from Argentina being located in Nepal. And yet in that remote corner, I used to hear his stories. I was born a year after he won the world cup and he had created such a connection with our football loving people. His picture were a matter of pride matching its importance to the ones of gods.

I am so happy that he is doing great now. It used to hurt us to see him destroying himself but now things are getting as good as it can be and to see him in any role in national team will be a pride and honour and a joy. He will get his critics and his blame but he will always be the great Maradona we all so love.

Thank you for the story again Seba:-) You are the best.

Vamos Albiceleste

John said...

Some news on football from around Europe…

In the English League One, Luciano BECCHIO scored in the 31st minute to give his side, Leeds Utd the lead. However the former Champions League semi-finalist went down 3-1 against Millwall.

Alejandro DOMINGUEZ scored for Zenit in their 2-2 draw with Spartak Nalchik.

Next up will be two top fixture of the day.

In La Liga, the Madrid derby with Atletico playing host to Real. Watch out for Kun in the stripes while GAGO and HIGUAIN in the whites.

While Napoli’s LAVEZZI and DENIS will take on Juventus at the San Paolo.

John said...

Hey P2BN, I remember when I was in school. Many of my friends talked about who was their heroes. Some said, carton figures while others had named movie stars or musicians. Me, there can only be one. Diego!

I guess that's the beauty about him. All the thing that he's done has transform from places that you've never been or never heard before.

I was absolutely pissed off when FIFA robbed him from winning the Player of the Millennium award in 1999. I knew it was just another major fraud just ensure some guy named PELE wins it.

In the end, FIFA decided to create two different award.

One was based on votes from football critics and journalist and the other was by the fans. Guess which one Diego won? You’ve named it, he was the people’s choice.

As what Sting & the Police once sang “Everything Little Thing He Does Is Magic”

John said...

Leandro CUFRE scored from the spot for Monaco in their 2-1 loss to Nice.